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Inhibitory effect of polyphenols (phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes) on cancer by regulating signal transduction pathways: a review

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Abstract

Natural products, especially polyphenols (phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes) are suggested to be more potent anticancer drugs because of their no or less adverse effects, excess availability, high accuracy, and secure mode of action. In the present review, potential anticancer mechanisms of action of some polyphenols including phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes are discussed based on clinical, epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro studies. The emerging evidence revealed that phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes induced apoptosis in the treatment of breast (MCF-7), colon (Caco-2), lung (SKLU-1), prostate (DU-145 and LNCaP), hepatocellular (hepG-2), and cervical (A-431) cancer cells, cell cycle arrest (S/G2/M/G1-phases) in gastric (MKN-45 and MKN-74), colorectal (HCT-116), bladder (T-24 and 5637), oral (H-400), leukemic (HL-60 and MOLT-4) and colon (Caco-2) cancer cells, and inhibit cell proliferation against the prostate (PC-3), liver (LI-90), breast (T47D and MDA-MB-231), colon (HT-29 and Caco-2), cervical (HTB-35), and MIC-1 cancer cells through caspase-3, MAPK, AMPK, Akt, NF-κB, Wnt, CD95, and SIRT1 pathways. Based on accumulated data, we suggested that polyphenols could be considered as a viable therapeutic option in the treatment of cancer cells in the near future.

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taken from WHO [1]

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Acknowledgements

Hereby, we extend our gratitude to A.Q Research Group, Pakistan for reviewing the article and providing helpful comments.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    A. Hazafa

  2. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycoengineering, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China

    M. O. Iqbal

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan

    U. Javaid

  4. College of Food Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Huazhong, China

    M. B. K. Tareen

  5. Institute of Food Science & Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    D. Amna

  6. Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    A. Ramzan

  7. Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    S. Piracha

  8. College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China

    M. Naeem

Authors
  1. A. Hazafa
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  2. M. O. Iqbal
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  3. U. Javaid
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  4. M. B. K. Tareen
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  5. D. Amna
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  6. A. Ramzan
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  7. S. Piracha
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  8. M. Naeem
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Contributions

AH and MN: Conceived the presented data, writing—original draft, developed the theory, formal analysis, investigation, investigation. MOI, DA and MBKT: investigation, supervision, writing—original draft, software. UJ, AR and SP: writing—editing and revision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Hazafa.

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Hazafa, A., Iqbal, M.O., Javaid, U. et al. Inhibitory effect of polyphenols (phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes) on cancer by regulating signal transduction pathways: a review. Clin Transl Oncol 24, 432–445 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-021-02709-3

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